Systems and methods for location based games and employment of the same on location enabled devices

• US 20050049022A1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 11,033,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

A location-based game system is provided. Such a system may take the form of any device (e.g., a wireless telephone) that includes a locating device (e.g., a GPS system). One such location-based game may operate such that the actual, physical location of a user on a physical playfield corresponds to the location of a virtual character on a virtual playfield. Such location based games are referred to herein as actuality games. In one multiplayer actuality embodiment, two game devices may communicate location, and other, information to a remote database such that the two user'"'"'s may interact on different physical playfields, but play on the same virtual playfield. A number of wireless communications protocols, self-configuration, and auto-download software applications are also provided to optimize integration with, for example, a wireless telephone.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a display;

a locating device operable to determine the physical location of said locating device on a physical playfield; and

a processor coupled to said display and said locating device, wherein said processor is operable to provide a video game comprising a virtual character with a virtual location on a virtual playfield, wherein said virtual location on said virtual playfield corresponds to said physical location on said physical playfield.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said locating device is a global positioning system receiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said physical playfield comprises a default perimeter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said physical playfield comprises a perimeter selected by user-inputs.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said locating device is a local positioning system receiver.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to said processor, wherein said video game is stored in said memory.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein location information based on said physical location, and obtained from said locating device, is stored in said memory.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said location information comprises a set of coordinates.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said location information comprises a vector having a magnitude component and a directional component.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter, wherein said processor determines an origin location at a point in time in said video game and transmits origin information based on said origin location.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a directional device, wherein said directional device is operable to determine the physical direction of said directional device on said physical playfield.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said virtual character is operable to point in a virtual direction on said virtual playfield and said virtual direction on said virtual playfield corresponds to said physical direction on said physical playfield.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

manual controls for controlling non-located based aspects of said virtual character.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver for obtaining remote origin information based on a remote origin location, wherein said processor configures the operation of said video game based on said remote origin information.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote memory, wherein physical location information is operable to be stored in said remote memory when said physical location is determined and said physical location information is based on said determined physical location.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said locating device is housed in a wireless telephone.

17. A method for controlling a character in a location-based video game comprising:

determining a first physical location of a locating device on a physical playfield;

mapping a video game environment around said first physical location; and

placing said character in said video game environment based on said first physical location.

18. A method for providing a remote multiplayer location-based video game:

obtaining a first physical location of a first locating device on a first physical playfield;

obtaining a second physical location of a second locating device on a second physical playfield, wherein said first physical playfield is remote from said second physical playfield; and

operating a video game such that first locating information from said first locating device represents a first virtual character on a virtual playfield and second locating information from said second locating device represents a second virtual character on said virtual playfield.